Our Malaga expert suggests what to see and do in the city this summer and
offers a guide to the best hotels.

Eating just-caught sardines by the sea is one of life’s great simple pleasures, and the beaches either side of Malaga are the perfect place to do it – particularly after a morning at the Picasso and Carmen Thyssen museums. Unlike some Spanish cities, it does not wind down in summer, and is particularly lively during the Malaga Fair in mid-August, when even the most reserved visitors might find themselves joining the locals for a twirl in the streets.

If you haven’t been for a while, you’ll be amazed at how it has been spruced up. Chic boutiques, gastrobars and cool cafés have sprung up alongside the traditional taverns in the winding lanes in the heart of the city. Although there is plenty to see and do, Malaga is really a place to kick back and just enjoy the laidback Mediterranean vibe.

Summer attractions and day trips

The beach

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Head to the east of the city towards strip of beaches that makes life in Málaga so pleasant. There are several appealing restaurants on the promenade, specialising in barbecued sardines and fried fish, but a favourite is Maricuchi on Pedregalejo beach (Paseo Marítimo El Pedregal 14; 0034 952 290412; full lunch from £21).

Outdoor dining

You'll find plenty of outdoor tables on the pedestrianised, marble-paved Calle Marqués de Larios; or try La Cosmopolita on Calle Molina Lario. There are several tapas bars along Calle Strachan with outdoor tables. Gorki is recommended for both canapés and more substantial dishes, as well as interesting wines by the glass (Calle Strachan 6; gorki.es; from 20 euros/£17).

Rated as one of the best botanic gardens in Europe, La Concepción is a tropical paradise which combines formal gardens with a lush green forest. Created in the mid-19th century by an aristocratic couple, Jorge Loring Oyarzábal and his English wife Amalia Heredia Livermore, the gardens fell into decline but have been restored to their former glory by Malaga City Council. Following the basic route takes around an hour and a half, but you could easily spend all day there.

St George’s Cemetery, to give it its proper name, was built in the 19th century to provide a burial place for foreigners who died in Malaga, and was the first Protestant cemetery in Spain. Strolling through the Romantic-style gardens, looking at the names on the tombs, is an evocative way to learn about Malaga’s history and links with Great Britain.

Set on seven hills below the Sierra Nevada, Granada is nothing if not dramatic. Situated 75 miles north-east of Malaga, the city is dominated by the vast complex of the Alhambra, where the stunning palaces, fortress and gardens form one of the best examples of Islamic architecture and craftsmanship in the world. If you are travelling independently, be sure to buy tickets in advance via www.alhambra-patronato.es. General admission €14.30. Alsina Graells (00 34 902 422242, www.alsa.es) operates a frequent bus service from Malaga to Granada. The journey takes one-and-a-half hours on the fastest bus and costs €21.74 return.

Also consider: a trip to the Garganta del Chorro gorge, some 30 miles northwest of Malaga or the Parque Natural de El Torcal, also a couple of hours away by car.

Exhibitions and events

This exhibition comprises around 30 key works by Romero de Torres (1874-1930), one of the most important Spanish painters of the early 20th-century, who is renowned for his symbolist paintings of Andalusian women, and includes The Gypsy Muse, painted in 1908. Admission: €4 (€8 including permanent collection).

Hopper’s evocative black-and-white photographs feature film sets, actor portraits and cityscapes, mostly from the 1960s. The exhibition also includes paintings by Hopper and artists including Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. Admission: €4.50 (€9 including permanent collection).

Part of the programme celebrating the 10th anniversary of the opening of the museum, this exhibition traces Picasso’s artistic development through paintings of members of his extended family and includes works from private collections as well as from other museums. Admission: €4.50 (€9 including permanent collection).

A venerated figure of Our Lady of the Carmen, the patron of fishermen, is paraded through the streets and down to the sea, where she is put onto a boat decorated with flowers, which then sails off across the bay, accompanied by dozens of other sailing vessels.

The festivities take place in the city centre during the day and at a separate site a short distance away at night. Expect horses and carriages, live music, bullfights, dancing, drinking of lots of Málaga wine and plenty of tapas. For visitors, the events in the day are more rewarding, as everything happens in the squares and streets and it is easier to feel part of things. The fair dates back more than 500 years and commemorates Malaga becoming part of the Crown of Castile.